Wednesday, July 4, 2012

The Committee on Church Order, which included Presbytery of Carlisle commissioner
Scott Penner, responded to a whole list of overtures concerning ordination
standards by approving this statement. If approved by the whole General
Assembly it is recommended that this statement be shared and considered by each
Presbytery, but this is not a constitutional issue. This is not a change in
the Book of Order. I believe this is a helpful action. I perceive this
statement to have the tone of a pastoral letter, not a legislative decree. I
hope this statement, if approved, may support and encourage our conversation
around this difficult question of our ordination standards:

“Because

“•
Jesus taught that our highest ethical obligation is to ‘… love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength,
and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself’ (Lk. 10:27); and this is
how ‘everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another’ (Jn. 13:35);

“•
having experienced Christ’s gracious love for us while we are yet sinners, we
are called to ‘welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you,
for the glory of God’ (Rom. 15:7);

“•
we affirm the solemn commitments expressed in the constitutional questions for
ordination, installation, and commissioning, including that we intend to
fulfill our ministries ‘in obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of
Scripture, and … continually guided by our confessions’; that that we will be
friends among our colleagues in ministry; that we ‘seek to follow the Lord
Jesus Christ, love [our] neighbors, and work for the reconciliation of the world’
(Book of Order, W-4.4003);

“•
‘… we hold that interpretation of the Scripture to be orthodox and genuine
which is gleaned from the Scriptures themselves (from the nature of the
language in which they were written, likewise according to the circumstances in
which they were set down, and expounded in the light of like and unlike
passages and of many and clearer passages) and which agree with the rule of
faith and love, and contributes much to the glory of God and man’s salvation’ (The
Book of Confessions, Second Helvetic Confession, 5.010);

“•
the larger Catechism lifts up the duty of holding ‘… a charitable esteem of our
neighbors,’ and forbids the sin of ‘… misconstruing intentions, words, and
actions’ (The Book of Confessions, 7.254–.255).”

The 220th General Assembly (2012) acknowledges that faithful
Presbyterians earnestly seeking to follow Jesus Christ hold different views
about what the Scriptures teach concerning the morality of committed,
same-gender relationships.

Therefore, while holding persons in ordered ministry to high
standards of covenant fidelity in the exercise of their sexuality, as in all
aspects of life, we decline to take an action that would have the effect of
imposing on the whole Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) one interpretation of
Scripture in this matter. We commit ourselves to continue respectful dialogue
with those who hold differing convictions, to welcome one another for God’s
glory, and not to vilify those whose convictions we believe to be in error. We
call on all Presbyterians to join us in this commitment.

I am
proud that our Presbytery in cooperation with our office of World Mission
sponsored the participation of Rev. Juan Rodas with our General Assembly. Juan
is the pastor of the Pena de Horeb Presbyterian Church in Tegucigalpa and a
leader in the Presbyterian Church of Honduras. Our Presbytery has worked close
with his congregation in our mission work in Tegucigalpa. Their congregation’s
mission committee has organized the new home construction projects which we
have been supporting. We have now contributed to the construction of six new
homes for Presbyterian families from Juan’s congregation. Juan is having a wonderful experience here
this week. The ecumenical representatives from around the world have formed
their own little community while here together.

Juan is
eager and excited that he has been invited to bring ecumenical greetings to the
General Assembly when we convene in plenary session this evening at 7:00.

Juan
will be coming to the Presbytery of Carlisle after the General Assembly. He
will be in worship with our Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church this Sunday, July
8. Our mission committee is hosting a luncheon with Juan at noon on Monday,
July 9 at our Presbytery office.

This
verse is from a new praise song which will be included in “Glory to God: The
Presbyterian Hymnal.” I attended the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
breakfast today where their new hymnal was introduced, along with many of the
other new books published this year. As part of our breakfast meeting, the
special committee for the new hymnal led us in singing several of the new
additions to the hymnal. The verse here is from “Men of Faith, Rise Up and Sing”
which is a praise and worship song from Delirious?, an English Christian rock
and worship band. The catchy, upbeat tune of this song and the image of the ‘church
with broken wings’ spoke to me. Yes, maybe we are church with broken wings. It
seems that our days of soaring high with vision and energy are past. Now, too
much, contention and conflict, mistrust and a lack of collegiality burden us.
Especially here at the General Assembly, we seem to bring out all our ‘issues’
again, replaying, rehashing and seeking a way forward. Often it feels like
we are a ‘church with broken wings’. But this is not the message of this
wonderful, new worship song. And this is not the truth that sings in my heart.
I believe and I pray that “by God’s grace again we’ll fly.”

I encourage
you to check out our new hymnal at Presbyterianhymnal.org. The full text and
music for “Men of Faith, Rise Up and Sing” is available there along with other
new samples. Information about pre-ordering is also now available.

In a
remarkable expression of unity, the General Assembly reelected Grady Parsons to
a second, four year term. Gradye ran unopposed, and was elected unanimously by
a voice vote. Gradye is known for often
referencing the Bible story of Jesus and the disciples in the storm as a
parable for the church today: “We are in the boat. There will be storms. We
will not die.”

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. As the Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Carlisle, I hope to use this space to reflect on the ministry of the 45 churches within our Presbytery, and, now and again, add some theological reflection. I hope this blog will contribute to the connectedness of the congregations in our Presbytery and our whole Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)